This invention pertains generally to munitions and particularly to explosive charges and the means for detonating such charges.
It has been an accepted military practice in many tactical situations to interdict movement of enemy personnel by dispersing antipersonnel mines in a particular area. It is, of course, very important that any such mines meet the following criteria: (a) be adapted for dispersal from different types of ordnance, as from artillery shells, rockets or bombs; (b) be safe to handle, even after an extended period in storage under adverse environmental conditions, before dispersal; (c) be effective for a predetermined length of time after dispersal; and (d) be as inexpensive as possible to manufacture. Unfortunately, there is no known type of antipersonnel mine which meets the listed criteria.